I drove into Colorado Springs from the north, advancing towards the mountains. Colorado is home of the Rocky Mountains, which my eyes feasted on the entire time I was driving into town. Green hills rolled from the much taller mountains in the background.

Although I passed through Denver on my way to Colorado Springs, I didn’t get to explore it. The little I saw somewhat reminded me of Dallas: the lay of the city, the road signs off the freeway and the view of the city from I-25 was so similar to parts of downtown Dallas off 75 North. The Sports Authority Field looks like a beautiful building.

Arriving in Colorado Springs at dusk, I went on a short walk in my hosts’ neighborhood. The houses nestle in the foothills of Pike’s Peak, very close to the forests. Getting away from the city to go hiking and camping in the mountains is a breeze. If you like to ski, Breckenridge and Vail are less than a 3-hour drive away each.

I visited the Garden of the Gods, a natural landmark of beautiful, sandstone formations.The many-colored sandstone layers were originally deposited horizontally, but eventually titled horizontally due to pressures that caused the uplifting of Pike’s Peak mountain. I love that the park is free and open to the public from sunup to sundown. I drove through the park and saw people rock-climbing, hiking, jogging and walking the trails in the park. It’s a great place to spend some time if you’re in Colorado Springs.